Looking Back: European Competitiveness Forum in Maastricht
European Competitiveness Forum in Maastricht
Last Thursday, the European Competitiveness Forum brought together leaders from business, government and academia at the historic Tapijnkazerne in Maastricht to address a pressing question:
How can Europe turn its strong foundations in research, innovation and private savings into globally competitive companies with the scale to succeed internationally?
A shared European ambition
In his opening keynote, Prof. Dr. Bas ter Weel of De Nederlandsche Bank and a Maastricht alumnus, emphasised the importance of a shared commitment across Europe, France and the Netherlands: “one for all and all for one.”
His message set the tone for an inspiring afternoon of discussion and exchange, highlighting the need for Europe to strengthen its ability to translate knowledge, capital and innovation into sustainable economic growth and global competitiveness.
We would like to sincerely thank Maastricht University and the Maastricht University School of Business and Economics for their partnership and contribution to such a seamless and impactful event. We are particularly grateful to Prof. Dr. Gaby Odekerken-Schröder, Prof. Dr. Pamela Habibovic and Jan-Tjitte Meindersma for their warm welcome and valuable contributions.
A special thank you also goes to Lyan E.J. Ploumen and her team for organising and coordinating the event so successfully.
Key perspectives on European competitiveness
Throughout the programme, speakers and participants explored the structural opportunities and challenges facing European businesses.
Capital and governance
In her keynote, Sylvia Andriessen of Euronext highlighted the importance of integrated financial markets, streamlined regulation and cross-border trust in enabling Europe's most promising scale-ups to grow while remaining headquartered on the continent.
Economic reality and bilateral trade
Maarten de Bruijn of the Netherlands-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NFCC), and a Maastricht alumnus, presented findings from the Dutch-French Barometer.
His contribution demonstrated how local market knowledge, strong personal connections and sustained support can help transform cross-border ambitions into tangible business growth.
Academic and industry perspectives
The round-table discussion brought together different perspectives on how Europe can better connect academic research with corporate ambition and market opportunities.
Prof. Dr. Mark Sanders contributed valuable insights to the discussion, reinforcing the importance of closer collaboration between academia and industry.
From innovation to market impact
One message emerged clearly from the discussions: Europe has no shortage of talent, research, capital or innovative ideas. The challenge lies in turning these strengths into companies capable of scaling across borders and competing globally.
Bridging the gap between innovation and market execution will require less regulatory fragmentation, stronger financial integration and significantly deeper cross-border cooperation.
For France, the Netherlands and Europe as a whole, closer collaboration between businesses, policymakers and knowledge institutions will be essential to unlocking this potential.
Celebrating 50 years of Maastricht University
We are delighted to have co-organised this event with our esteemed partner, Maastricht University, as part of the university's 50th anniversary celebrations.
The European Competitiveness Forum provided a valuable platform for bringing together different perspectives and, above all, for strengthening the connections needed to build a more competitive and connected Europe.
We look forward to continuing this dialogue and turning shared ambitions into concrete opportunities for cross-border cooperation.
